NEW TRAINING PROGRAM FOR FINANCE OFFICERS

Public sector financial employees will soon be able to earn dual Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Chartered Public Finance Accountant (CPFA) accreditation under a new public sector financial management and strategic leadership training program.

Conducted and administered by the Certified Management Accountants of Canada (CMA Canada) and its provincial/territorial partners, the program will include four mandatory public sector-specific courses:

• public sector financial and performance reporting
• governance and public policy
• public finance
• audit and assurance.

The program also incorporates CMA Canada's Strategic Leadership Program, the centre piece of the CMA accreditation process.

According to CMA Canada, the program provides the skills and knowledge to deliver strong public sector financial management and accountability in an effective and efficient manner to standards expected by stakeholders inside and outside government at all levels.

A bilingual CMA/CPFA program will be offered to employees of the federal government beginning in September 2006. The program will later expand to include employees of provincial and territorial governments, as well as employees of large municipalities.

Government employees who already hold the CMA designation will be able to complete the four CPFA course modules in one year (through part-time study while they work). Those who do not hold the CMA designation must have a university degree. Candidates must then successfully pass the CMA Entrance Examination, following which they enter the two-year Strategic Leadership Program or the CPFA course requirement, depending on the option taken.

The program was developed by CMA Canada and the U.K.-based Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy in consultation with the Office of the Comptroller General of Canada.

Candidates in a pilot of the program completed their studies in March 2006. The individuals photographed above with the Comptroller General of Canada, Charles-Antoine St-Jean, received certificates of recognition at a special awards dinner on June 22, 2006 in Ottawa: Claudiane Charleston, Andrew Francis, Topo Fu, Karla Gascon, Linda Haaland, Elizabeth Hailey, Zahar Hamzeh, Jonathan Hood, Maria Hourani, Monica Jagdev, Ken Kocia, Solomon Mensah, David Milne, Janet Mrenica, Sylvain C. Murray, Zia Nathoo, Huy Quoc Nguyen, Rafik Henry Orfali, Sathy Paskaran, Mike Purser, Jim Roberge, and Nicole Thomas. CCAF extends our congratulations to each of them.

Additional information on the program is available from the Web site of CMA Canada: www.cma-canada.org.

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